The Indian leather sector is continuing to record impressive growth in exports and registering new record levels month-by-month. The country exported leather and leather products worth $804.04 million in the period April-July 2005 compared with $761.71 million in the corresponding period last year. This equates to an increase of 5.56%, the highest growth recorded in the last five years. Meanwhile, the leather footwear sector has recorded even better export results, reporting growth of 22.47% in the same period.

According to figures released by Indian Ministry of Commerce and Industry, during the period April-July leather footwear exports reached $219.80 million compared with $ 179.48 million in the corresponding period in 2004.

Other sectors also performed well with footwear components reporting a 6.05% increase to reach $58.80 million from $55.42 million, leather goods exports grew by 9.02% to $196.12 million from $179.89 million and saddlery and harnesses rose by 6.26% to $20.51 million from $19.30 million.

The only negative figures came from: the finished leather sector, where exports fell by 5.35% to $196.33 million from $207.44 million; leather garments which decreased by 5.19% to $94.43 million from $99.60 million and non-leather footwear which dropped by 12.22% to $18.04 million from $20.56 in the corresponding period last year.